Joe Cronin: Reviews

Contact: markarmour04@gmail.com

Library Journal, 2/1/2010: "Armour deserves the greatest praise in light of not only Cronin's importance but also of the critical elements that form the book's second half: the role of race in sport and America, the rise of unionism, and the class interests of those claiming to have the welfare of fans in mind as they decided upon franchise location, playoff timing, etc. Recommended "

Baseball Prospectus, 2/27/2010. Interview with David Laurila focusing on Cronin's role as player-manager.

Steve Treder, The Hardball Times, 3/5/2010. "This book isn't a superficial rendering, but rather a work of serious-minded scholarship. It's intended for the serious-minded student of baseball history. Mark Armour has produced a grand and deep biography of one of the sport's central figures. I approached it with very high expectations, and came away fully satisfied."

Daniel Shoptaw, Seamheads.com, 3/12/2010. "Armour weaves a fascinating tale, from his time starring in the sandlots of San Francisco to his passing in 1984. Watching how baseball changed and seeing Cronin in the middle of the changes allows for a great look at the history of the game"

Joe Magennis, Baseballisms, 3/24/2010. This is a 40-minute podcast interview Joe conducted, covering a wide range of topics related to the book. He also has some nice things to say on the web site, calling it "great biography of a significant man in baseball history."

Bill Ballou, Worcester Telegram, 4/25/2010. "Armour's treatment of Cronin is wonderfully even-handed and the book in general is an insightful look at the quaint, out-of-touch country club major league baseball was for most of the 20th Century."

James Bailey, Baseball America, 06/21/2010. "... provides a balanced look at the long career of a baseball lifer. Armour is critical of Cronin's failings, but fair in his overall assessment of the man. We've been blessed with a plethora of Hall of Fame biographies this spring (Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Old Hoss Radbourn, among others). Don't overlook Cronin while boning up on your baseball history."

Barbara Gregorich, Books on Baseball, 07/22/2010. "Joe Cronin is a baseball man worth knowing about, and Joe Cronin: A Life in Baseball, is a book very worth reading."

Richard Puerzer, NINE, Vol. 19 No. 2, Spring 2011. "Armour has done a great service not only to those interested in Joe Cronin, but also to future researchers interested in any of the multitude of facets of baseball that Joe Cronin impacted."